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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
__________
FORM 8-A
FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR 12(g) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
ADVANCED POLYMER SYSTEMS, INC.
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(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Delaware 94-2875566
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(State of Incorporation or Organization) (I.R.S. Employer
Identification no.)
3696 Haven Avenue, Redwood City, California 94063
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(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
If this Form relates to the registration of a class If this Form relates to the registration of a class
of debt securities and is effective upon filing of debt securities and is to become effective
pursuant to General Instruction A(c)(1) please simultaneously with the effectiveness of a
check the following box. // concurrent registration statement under the
Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to General
Instruction A(c)(2) please check the following
box. //
Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of Each Class Name of Each Exchange on Which
to be so Registered Each Class is to be Registered
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None
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Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
Preferred Share Purchase Rights
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(Title of class)
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(Title of class)
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Item 1. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED
Pursuant to a Preferred Share Rights Agreement dated August 19, 1996
(the "Rights Agreement") between Advanced Polymer Systems, Inc. (the "Company")
and The First National Bank of Boston, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent"), the
Company's Board of Directors has declared a dividend of one right ("Right") to
purchase one one-hundredth of a share of the Company's Series A Preferred Stock
("Series A Preferred Stock") for each outstanding share of Common Stock, $.01
par value ("Common Shares"), of the Company. The dividend is payable on
September 3, 1996 (the "Record Date") to stockholders of record as of the close
business on that date. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase
from the Company one one-hundredth of a share of Series A Preferred Stock at an
exercise price of $40.00 (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment.
The following summary of the principal terms of the Rights
Agreement is a general description only and is subject to the detailed terms and
conditions of the Rights Agreement. A copy of the Rights Agreement is attached
as Exhibit 1 to this Registration Statement and is incorporated herein by
reference.
RIGHTS EVIDENCED BY COMMON SHARE CERTIFICATES
The Rights will not be exercisable until the Distribution Date (defined
below). Certificates for the Rights ("Rights Certificates") will not be sent to
stockholders and the Rights will attach to and trade only together with the
Common Shares. Accordingly, Common Share certificates outstanding on the Record
Date will evidence the Rights related thereto, and Common Share certificates
issued after the Record Date will contain a notation incorporating the Rights
Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or
expiration of the Rights), the surrender or transfer of any certificates for
Common Shares, outstanding as of the Record Date, even without notation or a
copy of the Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such
certificate.
DISTRIBUTION DATE
The Rights will separate from the Common Shares, Rights Certificates
will be issued and the Rights will become exercisable upon the earlier of: (i)
10 business days following the first date of public announcement (the "Shares
Acquisition Date") that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons
has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of 20% or
more of the outstanding Common Shares in a transaction not approved by the Board
of Directors (an "Acquiring Person"), or (ii) 10 business days following the
commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or
exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial
ownership by a person or group of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares
in a transaction not approved by the Board of Directors. The earlier of such
dates is referred to as the "Distribution Date."
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ISSUANCE OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES; EXPIRATION OF RIGHTS
As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate Rights
Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Shares as of the
close of business on the Distribution Date and such separate Rights Certificates
alone will evidence the Rights from and after the Distribution Date. All Common
Shares issued prior to the Distribution Date will be issued with Rights. Common
Shares issued after the Distribution Date may be issued with Rights if such
shares are issued (i) upon the conversion of outstanding convertible debentures
or any other convertible securities issued after adoption of the Rights
Agreement or (ii) pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under employee
benefit plans or arrangements unless such issuance would result in (or create a
risk that) such options, plans or arrangements would not qualify for otherwise
available special tax treatment. Except as otherwise determined by the Board of
Directors, no other Common Shares issued after the Distribution Date will be
issued with Rights. The Rights will expire on the earliest of (i) August 19,
2006 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) redemption or exchange of the Rights as
described below, or (iii) consummation of an acquisition of the Company
satisfying certain conditions by a person who acquired shares pursuant to a
transaction approved by the Board of Directors as described below.
INITIAL EXERCISE OF THE RIGHTS
Following the Distribution Date, and until one of the further events
described below, holders of the Rights will be entitled to receive, upon
exercise and the payment of $40.00 per Right, one one-hundredth of a share of
the Series A Preferred Stock. In the event that the Company does not have
sufficient Series A Preferred Stock available for all Rights to be exercised, or
the Board decides that such action is necessary and not contrary to the interest
of Rights holders, the Company may instead substitute cash, assets or other
securities for the Series A Preferred Stock for which the Rights would have been
exercisable under this provision or as described below.
RIGHT TO BUY COMPANY COMMON SHARES
Unless the Rights are earlier redeemed, in the event that an Acquiring
Person becomes the beneficial owner of 20% or more of the Company's Common
Shares then outstanding (other than pursuant to a transaction approved by the
Board of Directors), then proper provision will be made so that each holder of a
Right which has not theretofore been exercised (other than Rights beneficially
owned by the Acquiring Person, which will thereafter be void) will thereafter
have the right to receive, upon exercise, Common Shares (or, in certain
circumstances as determined by the Board of Directors, cash, other property or
other securities) having a value equal to two times the Purchase Price. Rights
are not exercisable following the occurrence of an event as described above
until such time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by the Company as set
forth below.
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RIGHT TO BUY ACQUIRING COMPANY STOCK
Similarly, unless the Rights are earlier redeemed, in the event that,
after the Shares Acquisition Date, (i) the Company is acquired in a merger or
other business combination transaction, or (ii) 50% or more of the Company's
assets or earning power are sold (other than in transactions in the ordinary
course of business), proper provision must be made so that each holder of a
Right which has not theretofore been exercised (other than Rights beneficially
owned by the Acquiring Person, which will thereafter be void) will thereafter
have the right to receive, upon exercise, shares of common stock of the
acquiring company having a value equal to two times the Purchase Price.
BOARD APPROVAL
The Rights will not become exercisable if it has been determined by a
majority of the Board of Directors (excluding directors affiliated with an
Acquiring Person) that the tender offer or acquisition of 20% or more of the
Company's outstanding Common Shares is in the best interests of the Company and
its stockholders.
EXCHANGE PROVISION
At any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Board of
Directors of the Company may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by the
Acquiring Person), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common Share
per Right.
REDEMPTION
At anytime on or prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i)
the 10th business day following the Shares Acquisition Date, or (ii) the Final
Expiration Date, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at
a price of $.01 per Right.
ADJUSTMENTS TO PREVENT DILUTION
The Purchase Price payable, the number of Rights, and the number of
Series A Preferred Stock or Common Shares or other securities issuable upon
exercise of the Rights are subject to adjustment from time to time in connection
with dilutive issuances by the Company as set forth in the Rights Agreement.
CASH PAID INSTEAD OF ISSUING FRACTIONAL SHARES
No fractional portion less than integral multiples of one Common Share
will be issued upon exercise of a Right and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in
cash will be made based on the market price of the Common Shares on the last
trading date prior to the date of exercise.
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NO STOCKHOLDERS' RIGHTS PRIOR TO EXERCISE
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company (other than any rights resulting from
such holder's ownership of Common Shares), including, without limitation, the
right to vote or to receive dividends.
AMENDMENT OF RIGHTS AGREEMENT
The provisions of the Rights Agreement may be supplemented or amended
by the Board of Directors in any manner prior to the close of business on the
Distribution Date without the approval of Rights holders. After the Distribution
Date, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board in
order to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency, to make changes which do
not adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights (excluding the interests
of any Acquiring Person), or to shorten or lengthen any time period under the
Rights Agreement; provided, however, that no amendment to adjust the time period
governing redemptions shall be made at such time as the Rights are not
redeemable.
RIGHTS AND PREFERENCES OF THE SERIES A PREFERRED
Series A Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will
not be redeemable. Each share of Series A Preferred Stock will be entitled to an
aggregate dividend of 100 times the dividend declared per Common Share. In the
event of liquidation, the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock will receive
an amount per share equal to 100 times the per share amount to be distributed to
the holders of the Common Shares. Each share of Series A Preferred Stock will
have 100 votes, voting together with the Common Shares. In the event of any
merger, consolidation or other transaction in which the Common Shares are
changed or exchanged, each share of Series A Preferred Stock will be entitled to
receive 100 times the amount received per Common Share. These rights are
protected by customary anti-dilution provisions.
Because of the nature of the dividend, liquidation and voting rights of
the shares of Series A Preferred Stock, the value of the one one-hundredth
interest in a share of Series A Preferred purchasable upon exercise of each
Right should approximate the value of one Common Share.
CERTAIN ANTI-TAKEOVER EFFECTS
The Rights approved by the Board are designed to protect and maximize
the value of the outstanding equity interests in the Company in the event of a
coercive attempt by an acquiror to take over the Company, in a manner or on
terms not approved by the Board of Directors. Takeover attempts frequently
include coercive tactics to deprive the Company's Board of Directors and its
stockholders of any real opportunity to determine the destiny of the Company.
The Rights have been declared by the Board in order to deter such tactics,
including a gradual accumulation of shares in the open market of a 20% or
greater position to be followed by a merger or a partial
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or two-tier tender offer that does not treat all stockholders equally. These
tactics unfairly pressure stockholders, squeeze them out of their investment
without giving them any real choice and deprive them of the full value of their
shares.
The Rights are not intended to prevent a takeover of the Company and
will not do so. The Rights may be redeemed by the Company at $.01 per Right
within 10 business days (or such later date as may be determined by a majority
of the Board of Directors, excluding directors affiliated with an Acquiring
Person) after the accumulation of 20% or more of the Company's shares by a
single acquiror or group. Accordingly, the Rights should not interfere with any
merger or business combination approved by the Board of Directors.
Issuance of the Rights does not in any way weaken the financial
strength of the Company or interfere with its business plans. The issuance of
the Rights themselves has no dilutive effect, will not affect reported earnings
per share, should not be taxable to the Company or to its stockholders, and will
not change the way in which the Company's shares are presently traded. The
company's Board of Directors believes that the Rights represent a sound and
reasonable means of addressing the complex issues of corporate policy created by
corporate takeovers.
However, the Rights may have the effect of rendering more difficult or
discouraging an acquisition of the Company deemed coercive and undesirable by
the Board of Directors. The Rights may cause substantial dilution to a person or
group that attempts to acquire the Company on terms or in a manner not approved
by the Company's Board of Directors, except pursuant to an offer conditioned
upon the negation, purchase or redemption of the Rights.
Item 2. EXHIBITS
1. Preferred Shares Rights Agreement, dated as of August 19,
1996, between Advanced Polymer Systems, Inc. and The First
National Bank of Boston, including the Certificate of
Designation, the form of Rights Certificate and the Summary of
Rights attached thereto as Exhibits A, B and C, respectively.
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized.
ADVANCED POLYMER SYSTEMS, INC.
Date: September 3, 1996 By: /s/ Michael P. J. O'Connell
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Michael P. J. O'Connell
Chief Financial Officer
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EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit
No. Exhibit
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1. Preferred Shares Rights Agreement dated as of August 19, 1996,
between Advanced Polymer Systems, Inc. and The First National
Bank of Boston including the Certificate of Designation, the
form of Rights Certificate and the Summary of Rights attached
thereto as Exhibits A, B and C, respectively.
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EXHIBIT 1
ADVANCED POLYMER SYSTEMS, INC.
AND
THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BOSTON,
(RIGHTS AGENT)
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF AUGUST 19, 1996
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RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of August 19, 1996 (the
"Agreement"), between Advanced Polymer Systems, Inc., a Delaware corporation
(the "Company"), and The First National Bank of Boston, a Massachusetts
corporation (the "Rights Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, on August 19, 1996, (the "Rights Dividend Declaration
Date"), the Board of Directors of the Company authorized and declared a dividend
distribution of one Right for each share of Common Stock (as hereinafter
defined) of the Company outstanding at the close of business on September 3,
1996 (the "Record Date"), and authorized the issuance of one Right (as such
number may hereafter be adjusted pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(p)
hereof) for each share of Common Stock of the Company issued between the Record
Date (whether originally issued or delivered from the Company's treasury) and
the Distribution Date (as hereinafter defined), each Right initially
representing the right to purchase one one-hundredth of a share of Series A
Participating Preferred Stock of the Company having the rights, powers and
preferences set forth in the form of Certificate of Designation, Preferences and
Rights attached hereto as Exhibit A, upon the terms and subject to the
conditions hereinafter set forth (the "Rights");
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the
mutual agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
SECTION 1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this
Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person
who, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the
Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding,
but shall not include:
(i) the Company,
(ii) any Subsidiary of the Company,
(iii) any employee benefit plan of the
Company or of any Subsidiary of the
Company, or any Person or entity
organized, appointed or established
by the Company for or pursuant to
the terms of any such plan, or
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(iv) any Person who becomes an Acquiring
Person solely as a result of a
reduction in the number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding due to the
repurchase of shares of Common Stock
by the Company, unless and until
such Person shall purchase or
otherwise become the Beneficial
Owner of additional shares of Common
Stock constituting 1% or more of the
then outstanding shares of Common
Stock.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Acquiring Person shall not include any Person
whose ownership of 20% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding
results from any action, transaction or series of transactions approved by the
Company's Board of Directors and by a majority of the Continuing Directors
(provided that such Person shall become an Acquiring Person if such Person shall
thereafter purchase or otherwise become the Beneficial Owner of additional
shares of Common Stock constituting 1% or more of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock unless otherwise approved by the Board and a majority of the
Continuing Directors; provided however, (A) any transfer of Shares by such
Person to a third party (other than the Company, any subsidiary of the Company,
any employee benefit plan of the Company or any trustee in respect thereof
acting in such capacity) who after such transfer owns 20% or more of the Shares
then outstanding will cause the Rights to become exercisable at the time and in
the manner provided for herein, and (B) any institution of a tender or exchange
offer by any holder of Shares will trigger the exerciseability of the Rights,
notwithstanding the above.
(b) "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the
respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules
and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(c) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial
Owner" of, and shall be deemed to "beneficially own," any securities:
(i) which such Person or any of such
Person's Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to
acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage
of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not
in writing) or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights,
warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be
deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," (A) securities
tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such Person or any of
such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are
accepted for purchase or exchange, or (B) securities issuable upon exercise of
Rights at any time prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event, or (C)
securities issuable upon exercise of Rights from and after the occurrence of a
Triggering Event which Rights were acquired by such Person or any of such
Person's Affiliates or Associates prior to the Distribution Date or pursuant to
Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof (the "Original Rights") or pursuant to
Section 11(i) hereof in connection with an adjustment made with respect to any
Original Rights;
(ii) which such Person or any of such
Person's Affiliates or Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right to vote
or dispose of or has "beneficial ownership"
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of (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Exchange Act), including pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding, whether or not in writing; provided, however, that a Person shall
not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any security
under this subparagraph (ii) as a result of an agreement, arrangement or
understanding to vote such security if such agreement, arrangement or
understanding: (A) arises solely from a revocable proxy given in response to a
public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with,
the applicable provisions of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Exchange Act, and (B) is not also then reportable by such Person on Schedule 13D
under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report); or
(iii) which are beneficially owned,
directly or indirectly, by any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate
thereof) with which such Person (or any of such Person's Affiliates or
Associates) has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in
writing), for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a
revocable proxy as described in the provision to subparagraph (ii) of this
paragraph (c)) or disposing of any voting securities of the Company; provided,
however, that nothing in this paragraph (c) shall cause a Person engaged in the
business as an underwriter of securities to be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of,
or to "beneficially own," any securities acquired through such Person's
participation in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting until the
expiration of forty days after the date of such acquisition.
(d) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than
a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of
California are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(e) "Close of Business" on any given date shall
mean 5:00 p.m., California time, on such date; provided, however, that if such
date is not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 p.m., California time, on the next
succeeding Business Day.
(f) "Common Stock" shall mean the common stock,
par value $.01 per share, of the Company, except that "Common Stock" when used
with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock
of such Person with the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or other
equity interest having power to control or direct the management, of such
Person.
(g) "Continuing Director" shall mean (i) any
member of the Board of Directors of the Company, while a member of the Board,
who is not an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring
Person, or a representative of an Acquiring Person or of any such Affiliate or
Associate, and who was a member of the Board prior to the date of this
Agreement, or (ii) any Person who subsequently becomes a member of the Board,
while a member of the Board, who is not an Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person, or a representative of an Acquiring Person or
of any such Affiliate or Associate, if such Person's nomination for election or
election to the Board is recommended or approved by a majority of the Continuing
Directors.
(h) "Distribution Date" shall mean the earlier
of (i) the Close of Business on the tenth business day after the Stock
Acquisition Date and (ii) the Close of Business
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on the tenth business day (or such later date as the Board of Directors and a
majority of the Continuing Directors shall determine) after the date that a
tender or exchange offer by any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary
of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of
the Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by the
Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) is first published or
sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act, if upon consummation thereof, such Person
would be the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding.
(i) "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities and
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(j) "Expiration Date" shall mean the earlier of
(i) the Final Expiration Date, or (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed
as provided in Section 24 hereof.
(k) "Final Expiration Date" shall mean the Close
of Business on August 19, 2006.
(l) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm,
corporation, partnership or other entity.
(m) "Preferred Stock" shall mean shares of
Series A Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company
and, to the extent that there are not a sufficient number of shares of Series A
Participating Preferred Stock authorized to permit the full exercise of the
Rights, any other series of preferred stock, par value $.01 per share, of the
Company designated for such purpose containing terms substantially similar to
the terms of the Series A Participating Preferred Stock.
(n) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 11 hereof.
(o) "Record Date" shall have the meaning set
forth in the recitals at the beginning of this Agreement.
(p) "Rights Certificates" shall mean one or more
rights certificates, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto.
(q) "Rights Dividend Declaration Date" shall
have the meaning set forth in the recitals at the beginning of this Agreement.
(r) "Section 11(a)(ii) Event" shall mean any
event described in Section 11(a)(ii)(A) or (B) hereof.
(s) "Section 13 Event" shall mean any event
described in clauses (x), (y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof.
(t) "Securities Act" shall mean the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended.
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(u) "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the
first date of public announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall
include, without limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) under the
Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has
become such; provided, however, if such person is determined not to have become
an Acquiring Person pursuant to Section 1(a) hereof, then no Stock Acquisition
Date shall be deemed to have occurred.
(v) "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to
any Person, any corporation of which an amount of voting securities sufficient
to elect at least a majority of the directors of such corporation is
beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, but such Person, or otherwise
controlled by such Person.
(w) "Summary of Rights" shall mean the summary
of rights to purchase Preferred Stock, in substantially the form of Exhibit C
hereto.
(x) "Triggering Event" shall mean any Section
11(a)(ii) Event or any Section 13 Event.
SECTION 2. APPOINTMENT OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Company hereby
appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the
Rights (who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the
Distribution Date also be the holders of the Common Stock) in accordance with
the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such
appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such Co-Rights Agents as
it may deem necessary or desirable.
SECTION 3. ISSUE OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.
(a) Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights
will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of 3(b) hereof) by the certificates
for the Common Stock registered in the names of the holders of the Common Stock
(which certificates for Common Stock shall be deemed also to be certificates for
Rights) and not by separate certificates, and (ii) the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying shares of
Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company). As soon as practicable after
the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will send by first-class, insured,
postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common Stock as of the close
of business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the
records of the Company, one or more Rights Certificates, evidencing one Right
for each share of Common Stock so held, subject to adjustment as provided
herein. In the event that an adjustment in the number of Rights per share of
Common Stock has been made pursuant to Section 11(p) hereof, at the time of
distribution of the Right Certificates, the Company shall make the necessary and
appropriate rounding adjustments (in accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) so
that Rights Certificates representing only whole numbers of Rights are
distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any fractional Rights. As of and after
the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Rights
Certificates.
(b) On the Record Date, or as soon as
practicable thereafter, the Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights, by
first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each
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record holder of shares of Common Stock as of the close of business of the
Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company.
(c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all
shares of Common Stock which are issued after the Record Date but prior to the
earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date. Certificates
representing such shares of Common Stock shall also be deemed to be certificates
for Rights, and shall bear the following legend:
This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof
to certain Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between
Advance Polymer Systems, Inc. and The First National Bank of
Boston, as Rights Agent, dated as of August 19, 1996 (the
"Rights Agreement"), the terms of which are hereby
incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on
file at the principal offices of Advance Polymer Systems, Inc.
Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights
Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate
certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this
certificate. Advance Polymer Systems, Inc. will mail to the
holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement, as
in effect on the date of mailing, without charge promptly
after receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain
circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued
to, or held by, any Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring
Person or any Affiliate or Associate thereof (as such terms
are defined in the Rights Agreement), whether currently held
by or on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent holder,
may become null and void.
With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earlier of (i) the Distribution Date or (ii) the Expiration Date, the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be
evidenced by such certificates alone and registered holders of Common Stock
shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights, and the transfer
of any of such certificates shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates.
SECTION 4. FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.
(a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of
election to purchase and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) may
have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or
endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not
inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to
comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant
thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights
may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the
provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 hereof, the Rights Certificates,
whenever distributed, shall be dated as of the Record Date and on their face
shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock as shall be set forth therein at the price set forth
therein (such exercise price per one one-hundredth of a share, the "Purchase
Price"), but the amount and type of securities
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purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall
be subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(b) Any Rights Certificates issued pursuant to
Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by:
(i) an Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person,
(ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate)
who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a
transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who
becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming
such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not
for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in
such Acquiring Person or to any Persons with whom such Acquiring Person has any
continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred
Rights or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors of the Company and a
majority of the Continuing Directors has determined is part of a plan,
arrangement or understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect avoidance
of Section 7(e) hereof, and any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6
or Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any
other Rights Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the
extent feasible) the following legend:
The Rights represented by this Rights Certificates are or were
beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as
such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement). Accordingly,
this Rights Certificate and the Rights represented hereby may
become null and void in the circumstances specified in
Section 7(e) of such Agreement.
SECTION 5. COUNTERSIGNATURE AND REGISTRATION.
(a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on
behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its President or any Vice
President, either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed
thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof which shall be attested by the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by
facsimile signature. The Rights Certificates shall be countersigned by the
Rights Agent, either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall not be valid
for any purpose unless so countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who
shall have signed any of the Rights Certificates shall cease to be such officer
of the Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and
delivery by the Company, such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be
countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with
the same force and effect as though the person who signed such Rights
Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Rights
Certificates may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the
actual date of the execution of such Rights Certificate, shall be a proper
officer of the Company to sign such Rights Certificate, although at the date of
the execution of this Rights Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
(b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights
Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at its principal office or offices
designated as the appropriate place for surrender of Rights Certificates upon
exercise or transfer, books for registration and transfer of the Rights
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Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of
the respective holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights
evidenced on its face by each of the Rights Certificates and the date of each of
the Rights Certificates.
SECTION 6. TRANSFER, SPLIT UP, COMBINATION AND
EXCHANGE OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATES; MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST OR STOLEN RIGHTS
CERTIFICATES.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b),
Section 7(e) and Section 14 hereof, at any time after the Close of Business on
the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of business on the
Expiration Date, any Rights Certificate or Certificates may be transferred,
split up, combined or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Certificates,
entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one one-hundredths
of a share of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event, Common Stock,
other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as the Rights
Certificate or Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder (or former
holder in the case of a transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to
transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or Certificates
shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall
surrender the Rights Certificate or Certificates to be transferred, split up,
combined or exchanged at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be
obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such
surrendered Rights Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed
and signed the certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse
side of such Rights Certificate and shall have provided such additional evidence
of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or
Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b), Section 7(e) and
Section 14 hereof, countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a
Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested.
The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or
governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split
up, combination or exchange of Rights Certificates.
(b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights
Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft,
destruction or mutilation of a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft
or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and
reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses
incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of
the Rights Certificate if mutilated, the Company will execute and deliver a new
Rights Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and
delivery to the registered owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost,
stolen, destroyed or mutilated.
SECTION 7. EXERCISE OF RIGHTS; PURCHASE PRICE;
EXPIRATION DATE OF RIGHTS.
(a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the
registered holder of any Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced
thereby (except as otherwise provided herein including, without limitation, the
restrictions on exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii) and
Section 24(a) hereof) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution
Date upon surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to
purchase and the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the
Rights Agent at the principal office or offices of
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the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, together with payment of the
aggregate Purchase Price with respect to the total number of one one-hundredths
of a share of Preferred Stock (or other securities, cash or other assets, as the
case may be) as to which such surrendered Rights are then exercisable, at or
prior to the earlier of (i) the Final Expiration Date, or (ii) the Expiration
Date.
(b) The Purchase Price for each one
one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right
shall initially be $40, and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as
provided in Sections 11 and 13(a) hereof and shall be payable in accordance with
paragraph (c) below.
(c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate
representing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the
certificate duly executed, accompanied by payment, with respect to each Right so
exercised, of the Purchase Price per one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred
Stock (or other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to be
purchased as set forth below and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax,
the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly (i)
(A) requisition from any transfer agent of the shares of Preferred Stock (or
make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for such shares)
certificates for the total number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer
agent to comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected
to deposit the total number of shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise
of the Rights hereunder with a depository agent, requisition from the depository
agent depository receipts representing such number of one one-hundredths of a
share of Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in which case certificates for
the shares of Preferred Stock represented by such receipts shall be deposited by
the transfer agent with the depository agent) and the Company will direct the
depository agent to comply with such request, (ii) requisition from the Company
the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of fractional shares in
accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates or
depository receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate registered in such name or names as
may be designated by such holder, and (iv) after receipt thereof, deliver such
cash, if any, to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights
Certificate. The payment of the Purchase Price (as such amount may be reduced
pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) may be made (x) in cash or by certified
bank check or bank draft payable to the order of the Company, or (y) by delivery
of a certificate or certificates (with appropriate stock powers executed in
blank attached thereto) evidencing a number of shares of Common Stock equal to
the then Purchase Price divided by the closing price (as determined pursuant to
Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Common Stock on the Trading Day immediately
preceding the date of such exercise. In the event that the Company is obligated
to issue other securities (including Common Stock) of the Company, pay cash
and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Company
will make all arrangements necessary so that such other securities, cash and/or
other property are available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when
appropriate. The Company reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence
of a Triggering Event that upon any exercise of Rights, a number of Rights be
exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock would be issued.
(d) In case the registered holder of any Rights
Certificate shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new
Rights Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent
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to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent and
delivered to, or upon the order of, the registered holder of such Rights
Certificates, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such
holder, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement
to the contrary, from and after the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event, any Rights beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate
or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person
(or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after the
Acquiring Person becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or
of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior to or
concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights
pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the
Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to
any Person with whom the Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement,
arrangement or understanding regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer
which the Board of Directors of the Company and a majority of the Continuing
Directors has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which
has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall
become null and void without any further action and no holder of such Rights
shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any
provision of this Agreement or otherwise. The Company shall use all reasonable
efforts to insure that the provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b)
hereof are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder of Rights
Certificates or other Person as a result of its failure to make any
determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its Affiliates, Associates
or transferees hereunder.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement
to the contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to
undertake any action with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of
any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered
holder shall have (i) completed and signed the certificate contained in the form
of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate
surrendered for such exercise, and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
SECTION 8. CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF RIGHTS
CERTIFICATES. All Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise,
transfer, split up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company
or any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in
canceled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it,
and no Rights Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly
permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver
to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall
so cancel and retire, any other Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver
all canceled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written
request of the Company, destroy such canceled Rights Certificates, and in such
case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.
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SECTION 9. RESERVATION AND AVAILABILITY OF CAPITAL
STOCK.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees that it
will cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued
shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event,
out of its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other
securities or out of its authorized and issued shares held in its treasury), the
number of shares of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a
Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) that, as provided in
this Agreement including Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, will be sufficient to permit
the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights.
(b) So long as the shares of Preferred Stock
(and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other
securities) issuable and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights may be
listed on any national securities exchange, the Company shall use its best
efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all
shares reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official
notice of issuance upon such exercise.
(c) The Company shall use its best efforts to
(i) file, as soon as practicable following the earliest date after the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event on which the consideration to be
delivered by the Company upon exercise of the Rights has been determined in
accordance with Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, or as soon as is required by law
following the Distribution Date, as the case may be, a registration statement
under the Securities Act, with respect to the securities purchasable upon
exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, (ii) cause such registration
statement to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing, and
(iii) cause such registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus
at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the earlier of (A) the
date as of which the Rights are no longer exercisable for such securities, and
(B) the date of the expiration of the Rights. The Company will also take such
action as may be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance with, the securities
or "blue sky" laws of the various states in connection with the exercisability
of the Rights. The Company may temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to
exceed ninety (90) days after the date set forth in clause (i) of the first
sentence of this Section 9(c), the exercisability of the Rights in order to
prepare and file such registration statement and permit it to become effective.
Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating
that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as
a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in effect.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Rights
shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the requisite qualification in
such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained, the exercise thereof shall not
be permitted under applicable law or a registration statement shall not have
been declared effective.
(d) The Company covenants and agrees that it
will take all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a
Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities) delivered upon exercise
of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such shares
(subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and
issued and fully paid and nonassessable.
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(e) The Company further covenants and agrees
that it will pay when due and payable any and all federal and state transfer
taxes and charges which may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of
the Rights Certificates and of any certificates for a number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities, as the case may be) upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall
not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in
respect of any transfer or delivery of Rights Certificates to a Person other
than, or the issuance or delivery of a number of one one-hundredths of a share
of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may
be)in respect of a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Rights
Certificates evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or deliver
any certificates for a number of one one- hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) in a name
other than that of the registered holder upon the exercise of any Rights until
such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such
Rights Certificates at the time of surrender) or until it has been established
to the Company's satisfaction that no such tax is due.
SECTION 10. PREFERRED STOCK RECORD DATE. Each person in whose
name any certificate for a number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) is issued
upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the
holder of record of such fractional shares of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock
and/or other securities, as the case may be) represented thereby on, and such
certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Rights Certificate
evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price
(and all applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the
date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Stock (or
Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the
Company are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder
of such shares (fractional or otherwise) on, and such certificate shall be
dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock (or Common
Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company
are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a
Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a stockholder of the
Company with respect to shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable,
including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other
distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to
receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.
SECTION 11. ADJUSTMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE, NUMBER AND KIND OF
SHARES OR NUMBER OF RIGHTS. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares
covered by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to
adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 11.
(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any
time after the date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred
Stock payable in shares of Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding
Preferred Stock, (C) combine the outstanding Preferred Stock into a smaller
number of shares, or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a
reclassification of the Preferred Stock (including any such reclassification in
connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing
or surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a)
and Section 7(e) hereof, the Purchase Price in effect at
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the time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such
subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of shares
of Preferred Stock or capital stock, as the case may be, issuable on such date,
shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised
after such time shall be entitled to receive, upon payment of the Purchase Price
then in effect, the aggregate number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or
capital stock, as the case may be, which, if such Right had been exercised
immediately prior to such date and at a time when the Preferred Stock transfer
books of the Company were open, he would have owned upon such exercise and been
entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or
reclassification. If an event occurs which would require an adjustment under
both this Section 11(a)(i) and 11(a)(ii) and hereof, the adjustment provided for
in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to,
any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.
(ii) In the event
(A) (1) any Acquiring Person or any Associate or
Affiliate of any Acquiring Person, at any time after the date of this
Agreement, directly or indirectly, shall merge into the Company or
otherwise combine with the Company and the Company shall be the
continuing or surviving corporation of such merger or combination and
the Common Stock of the Company shall remain outstanding and unchanged,
or (2) subject to the right of redemption granted in Section 24 hereof,
any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any
employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the
Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or established by
the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), alone or
together with its Affiliates and Associates, shall, at any time after
the Rights Dividend Declaration Date, become an Acquiring Person, other
than pursuant to any transaction set forth in Section 13(a) hereof, or
pursuant to an offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock at a
price and upon such terms and conditions as a majority of the
Continuing Directors determines to be in the best interests of the
Company and its stockholders, other than such Acquiring Person, its
Affiliates and its Associates, or
(B) during such time as there is an Acquiring Person,
there shall be any reclassification of securities (including any
reverse stock split), or recapitalization of the Company, or any merger
or consolidation of the Company with any of its Subsidiaries or any
other transaction or series of transactions involving the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries, other than a transaction or transactions to
which the provisions of Section 13(a) apply (whether or not with or
into or otherwise involving an Acquiring Person) which has the effect,
directly or indirectly, of increasing by more than 1% the proportionate
share of the outstanding shares of any class of equity securities of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which is directly or indirectly
beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person or any Associate or
Affiliate of any Acquiring Person,
then, promptly following the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, proper
provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right (except as provided below
and in Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon
exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms
of this Agreement, in lieu of a number of one one-hundredths of a share of
Preferred Stock, such number of shares of Common Stock of the Company as shall
equal
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the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the
then number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a
Right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event, and (y) dividing that product (which, following such first
occurrence, shall thereafter be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each
Right and for all purposes of this Agreement) by 50% of the current market price
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Common Stock on the
date of such first occurrence (such number of shares, the "Adjustment Shares").
(iii) In the event that the number of shares of
Common Stock which are authorized by the Certificate of Incorporation
but not outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than
upon exercise of the Rights are not sufficient to permit the exercise
in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph
(ii) of this Section 11(a), the Company shall: (A) determine the excess
of (1) the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the exercise of
a Right (the "Current Value") over (2) the Purchase Price (such excess,
the "Spread"), and (B) with respect to each Right (subject to Section
7(e) hereof), make adequate provision to substitute for the Adjustment
Shares, upon payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a
reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Common Stock or other equity
securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares or
units of shares, of preferred stock which the Board of Directors of the
Company has deemed to have the same value as shares of Common Stock
(such shares of preferred stock, "common stock equivalents")), (4) debt
securities of the Company, (5) other assets, or (6) any combination of
the foregoing, having an aggregate value equal to the Current Value,
where such aggregate value has been determined by the Board of
Directors of the Company based upon the advice of a nationally
recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of Directors
of the Company; provided, however, if the Company shall not have made
adequate provision to deliver the value pursuant to clause (B) above
within thirty (30) days following the later of (x) the first occurrence
of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event and (y) the date on which the Company's
right of redemption pursuant to Section 24(a) expires (the later of (x)
and (y) being referred to herein as the "Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger
Date"), then the Company shall be obligated to deliver, upon the
surrender for exercise of a Right and without requiring payment of the
Purchase Price, shares of Common Stock (to the extent available) and
then, if necessary, cash, which shares and/or cash have an aggregate
value equal to the Spread. If the Board of Directors of the Company
shall determine in good faith that it is likely that sufficient
additional shares of Common Stock could be authorized for issuance upon
exercise in full of the Rights, the thirty (30) day period set forth
above may be extended to the extent necessary, but not more than ninety
(90) days after the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date, in order that the
Company may seek stockholder approval for the authorization of such
additional shares (such period, as it may be extended, the
"Substitution Period"). To the extent that the Company determines that
some action need be taken pursuant to the first and/or second sentences
of this Section 11(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall provide, subject to
Section 7(e) hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to all
outstanding Rights, and (y) may suspend the exercisability of the
Rights until the expiration of the Substitution Period in order to seek
any authorization of additional shares and/or to decide the appropriate
form of distribution to be made pursuant to such first sentence and to
determine the value thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the
Company shall issue
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a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has
been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at such
time as the suspension is no longer in effect. For purposes of this
Section 11(a)(iii), the value of the Common Stock shall be the current
market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share
of the Common Stock on the Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date and the value
of any "common stock equivalent" shall be deemed to have the same value
as the Common Stock on such date.
(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date
for the issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred
Stock entitling them to subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within
forty-five (45) calendar days after such record date) Preferred Stock (or shares
having the same rights, privileges and preferences as the shares of Preferred
Stock ("equivalent preferred stock")) or securities convertible into Preferred
Stock or equivalent preferred stock at a price per share of Preferred Stock or
per share of equivalent preferred stock (or having a conversion price per share,
if a security convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred stock)
less than the current market price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)
hereof) per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, the Purchase Price to
be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction,
the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock
outstanding on such record date, plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock
which the aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of Preferred
Stock and/or equivalent preferred stock so to be offered (and/or the aggregate
initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would
purchase at such current market price, and the denominator of which shall be the
number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the
number of additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred stock
to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible
securities so to be offered are initially convertible). In case such
subscription price may be paid by delivery of consideration part or all of which
may be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and
shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights. Shares of
Preferred Stock owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be
deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment
shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the
event that such rights or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price which
would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.
(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date
for a distribution to all holders of Preferred Stock (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other
than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings
of the Company), assets (other than a dividend payable in Preferred Stock, but
including any dividend payable in stock other than Preferred Stock) or
subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b)
hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the current market
price (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred
Stock on such record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion
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of the cash, assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such
subscription rights or warrants applicable to a share of Preferred Stock and the
denominator of which shall be such current market price (as determined pursuant
to Section 11(d) hereof) per share of Preferred Stock. Such adjustments shall be
made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and in the event that
such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the
Purchase Price which would have been in effect if such record date had not been
fixed.
(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation
hereunder, other than computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof,
the "current market price" per share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed
to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Common Stock for
the thirty (30) consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined)
immediately prior to such date, and for purposes of computations made pursuant
to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current market price" per share of Common
Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices
per share of such Common Stock for the ten (10) consecutive Trading Days
immediately following such date; provided, however, that in the event that the
current market price per share of the Common Stock is determined during a period
following the announcement by the issuer of such Common Stock of (A) a dividend
or distribution on such Common Stock payable in shares of such Common Stock of
securities convertible into shares of such Common Stock (other than the Rights),
or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Common Stock,
and prior to the expiration of the requisite thirty (30) Trading Day or ten (10)
Trading Day period, as set forth above, after the ex-dividend date for such
dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination
or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the "current market price"
shall be properly adjusted to take into account ex-dividend trading. The closing
price for each day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no
such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to
trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the shares of Common Stock are not
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the shares of
Common Stock are listed or admitted to trading or, if the shares of Common Stock
are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the
last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low
asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation System ("NASDAQ") or
such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the shares of Common
Stock are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid
and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in
the Common Stock selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any
such date no market maker is making a market in the Common Stock, the fair value
of such shares on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company shall be used. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day
on which the principal national securities exchange on which the shares of
Common Stock are listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of
business or, if the shares of Common Stock are not listed or admitted to trading
on any national securities exchange, a Business Day. If the Common Stock is not
publicly held or not so listed or traded, "current market price" per share shall
mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the
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Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the
Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes.
(ii) For the purpose of any computation
hereunder, the "current market price" per share of Preferred Stock shall be
determined in the same manner as set forth above for the Common Stock in clause
(i) of this Section 11(d) (other than the last sentence thereof). If the current
market price per share of Preferred Stock cannot be determined in the manner
provided above or if the Preferred Stock is not publicly held or listed or
traded in a manner described in clause (i) of this Section 11(d), the "current
market price" per share of Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed to be an
amount equal to 100 (as such number may be appropriately adjusted for such
events as stock splits, stock dividends and recapitalizations with respect to
the Common Stock occurring after the date of this Agreement) multiplied by the
current market price per share of the Common Stock. If neither the Common Stock
nor the Preferred Stock is publicly held or so listed or traded, "current market
price" per share of the Preferred Stock shall mean the fair value per share as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and
shall be conclusive for all purposes. For all purposes of this Agreement, the
"current market price" of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock shall
be equal to the "current market price" of one share of Preferred Stock divided
by 100.
(e) Anything herein to the contrary
notwithstanding, no adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless
such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least one percent
(1%) in the Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by
reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried
forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations
under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest
ten-thousandth of a share of Common Stock or other share or one- millionth of a
share of Preferred Stock, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence
of this Section 11(e), any adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made
no later than the earlier of (i) three (3) years from the date of the
transaction which mandates such adjustment, or (ii) or the Expiration Date.
(f) If as a result of an adjustment made
pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right
thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital
stock other than Preferred Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so
receivable upon exercise of any Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be
subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly
equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Stock
contained in Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k) and (m), and
the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect to the
Preferred Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company
subsequent to any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence
the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time
hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as
provided herein.
(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its
election as provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase
Price as a result of the calculations made in
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Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding immediately prior to the making
of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to purchase, at the
adjusted Purchase Price, that number of one one-hundredths of a share of
Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one- millionth) obtained by (i)
multiplying (x) the number of one one-hundredths of a share covered by a Right
immediately prior to this adjustment, by (y) the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price, and (ii) dividing
the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such
adjustment of the Purchase Price.
(i) The Company may elect on or after the date
of any adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu
of any adjustment in the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding
after the adjustment in the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number
of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record
prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of
Rights (calculated to the nearest one-ten- thousandth) obtained by dividing the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price
by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase
Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust
the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if
known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may
be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but,
if the Rights Certificates have been issued, shall be at least ten (10) days
later than the date of the public announcement. If Rights Certificates have been
issued, upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section
11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to
holders of record of Rights Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates
evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such
holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of
the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in
substitution and replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders
prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the
Company, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders
shall be entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be
distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided
for herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase
Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Rights
Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in
the Purchase Price or the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates issued
may continue to express the Purchase Price per one one-hundredth of a share and
the number of one one-hundredths of a share which were expressed in the initial
Rights Certificates issued hereunder.
(k) Before taking any action that would cause an
adjustment reducing the Purchase Price below the then stated value, if any, of
the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock issuable upon
exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may,
in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company
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may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable such number of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall
require that an adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a
record date for a specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the
occurrence of such event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after
such record date the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock
and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such
exercise over and above the number of one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred
Stock and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable
upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such
adjustment; provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a
due bill or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to
receive such additional shares (fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the
occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.
(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the
Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this
Section 11, as and to the extent that in their good faith judgment the Board of
Directors of the Company and the majority of the Continuing Directors shall
determine to be advisable in order that any (i) consolidation or subdivision of
the Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares of Preferred
Stock at less than the current market price, (iii) issuance wholly for cash of
shares of Preferred Stock or securities which by their terms are convertible
into or exchangeable for shares of Preferred Stock, (iv) stock dividends, or (v)
issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this Section 11,
hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock shall not be
taxable to such stockholders.
(n) The Company covenants and agrees that it
shall not, at any time after the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any
other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), (ii) merge with or into any other Person
(other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with
Section 11(o) hereof), or (iii) sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to
sell or transfer), in one transaction, or a series of related transactions,
assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power
of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or
Persons (other than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more
transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), if (x) at the
time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale there are any
rights, warrants or other instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in
effect which would substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits
intended to be afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or
immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale, the stockholders of the
Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the "Principal Party" for purposes
of Section 13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights previously
owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates.
(o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after
the Distribution Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 24 or
Section 27 hereof, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the
time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that
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such action will diminish substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits
intended to be afforded by the Rights.
(p) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary
notwithstanding, in the event that the Company shall at any time after the
Rights Dividend Declaration Date and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare
a dividend on the outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common
Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine
the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the
number of Rights associated with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or
issued or delivered thereafter but prior to the Distribution Date, shall be
proportionately adjusted so that the number of Rights thereafter associated with
each share of Common Stock following any such event shall equal the result
obtained by multiplying the number of Rights associated with each share of
Common Stock immediately prior to such event by a fraction the numerator of
which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately prior to the occurrence of the event and the denominator of which
shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately
following the occurrence of such event.
SECTION 12. CERTIFICATE OF ADJUSTED PURCHASE PRICE OR NUMBER
OF SHARES. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 and Section
13 hereof, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth
such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such
adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer
agent for the Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, a copy of such certificate,
and (c) mail or cause the Rights Agent to mail a brief summary thereof to each
holder of a Rights Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to each
holder of a certificate representing shares of Common Stock) in accordance with
Section 26 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any
such certificate and on any adjustment therein contained.
SECTION 13. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER OR SALE OR TRANSFER OF
ASSETS OR EARNING POWER.
(a) In the event that, following the Stock
Acquisition Date, directly or indirectly, (x) the Company shall consolidate
with, or merge with and into, any other Person , and the Company shall not be
the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation or merger, (y) any
Person shall consolidate with, or merge with or into, the Company, and the
Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such consolidation
or merger and, in connection with such consolidation or merger, all or part of
the outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or exchanged for
stock or other securities of any other Person or cash or any other property, or
(z) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its
Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one transaction or a series
of related transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of
the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a
whole) to any Person or Persons, then, and in each such case, proper provision
shall be made so that: (i) each holder of a Right, except as provided in
Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the
exercise thereof at the then current Purchase Price in accordance with the terms
of this Agreement, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid,
nonassessable and freely tradeable shares of Common Stock of the Principal Party
(as such term is hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens, encumbrances,
rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result
obtained by (l)
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multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one one-hundredths
of a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is exercisable immediately prior
to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event (or, if a Section 11(a)(ii) Event
has occurred prior to the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event, multiplying
the number of such one one-hundredths of a share for which a Right was
exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii)
Event by the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such first
occurrence), and dividing that product (which, following the first occurrence of
a Section 13 Event, shall be referred to as the "Purchase Price" for each Right
and for all purposes of this Agreement) by (2) 50% of the current market price
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) per share of the Common Stock
of such Principal Party on the date of consummation of such Section 13 Event;
(ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by
virtue of such Section 13 Event, all the obligations and duties of the Company
pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed
to refer to such Principal Party, it being specifically intended that the
provisions of Section 11 hereof shall apply only to such Principal Party
following the first occurrence of a Section 13 Event; (iv) such Principal Party
shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a
sufficient number of shares of its Common Stock) in connection with the
consummation of any such transactions as may be necessary to assure that the
provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may
be, in relation to its shares of Common Stock thereafter deliverable upon the
exercise of the Rights; and (v) the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall
be of no effect following the first occurrence of any Section 13 Event.
(b) "Principal Party" shall mean
(i) in the case of any transaction
described in clause (x) or (y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the
Person that is the issuer of any securities into which shares of Common Stock of
the Company are converted in such merger or consolidation, and if no securities
are so issued, the Person that is the other party to such merger or
consolidation; and
(ii) in the case of any transaction
described in clause (z) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that
is the party receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power
transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions;
provided, however, that in any such case, (1) if the Common Stock of such Person
is not at such time and has not been continuously over the preceding twelve (12)
month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is
a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of which is
and has been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person;
and (2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more
than one Person, the Common Stocks of two or more of which are and have been so
registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the
issuer of the Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value.
(c) The Company shall not consummate any such
consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have a
sufficient number of authorized shares of its Common Stock which have not been
issued or reserved for issuance to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in
accordance with this Section 13 and unless prior thereto the
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Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights
Agent a supplemental agreement providing for the terms set forth in paragraphs
(a) and (b) of this Section 13 and further providing that, as soon as
practicable after the date of any consolidation, merger or sale of assets
mentioned in paragraph (a) of this Section 13, the Principal Party will
(i) prepare and file a registration
statement under the Act, with respect to the Rights and the securities
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its
best efforts to cause such registration statement to (A) become effective as
soon as practicable after such filing and (B) remain effective (with a
prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Act) until the
Expiration Date; and
(ii) will deliver to holders of the
Rights historical financial statements for the Principal Party and each of its
Affiliates which comply in all respects with the requirements for registration
on Form 10 under the Exchange Act.
The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or
consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that a Section 13 Event
shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event, the
Rights which have not been exercised shall thereafter become exercisable in the
manner described in Section 13(a).
SECTION 14. FRACTIONAL RIGHTS AND FRACTIONAL SHARES.
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue
fractions of Rights, except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in
Section 11(p) hereof, or to distribute Rights Certificates which evidence
fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which such
fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the
same fraction of the current market value of a whole Right. For purposes of this
Section 14(a), the current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing
price of the Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which
such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing price of
the Rights for any day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no
such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to
trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Rights are not listed or
admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on
the principal national securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price
or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the
over-the-counter market, as reported by Nasdaq or such other system then in use
or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional
market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors of
the Company. If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in the
Rights the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by
the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.
(b) The Company shall not be required to issue
fractions of shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral
multiples of one one-hundredth of a share
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of Preferred Stock, which may, at the option of the Company, be evidenced by
depository receipts) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates
which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which
are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock). In
lieu of fractional shares of Preferred Stock that are not integral multiples of
one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock, the Company may pay to the
registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised
as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current
market value of one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock. For purposes of
this Section 14(b), the current market value of one one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock shall be one one-hundredth of the closing price of a share of
Preferred Stock (as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(ii) hereof) for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
(c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering
Event, the Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Common
Stock upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence
fractional shares of Common Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock,
the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time
such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the current market value of one (1) share of Common Stock. For
purposes of this Section 14(c), the current market value of one share of Common
Stock shall be the closing price of one share of Common Stock (as determined
pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to
the date of such exercise.
(d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of
the Rights expressly waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any
fractional shares upon exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section
14.
SECTION 15. RIGHTS OF ACTION. All rights of action in respect
of this Agreement are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights
Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, of the Common Stock), may, in his own behalf and for his own
benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding
against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to
exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided
in such Rights Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing
or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically
acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law
for any breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific performance
of the obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.
SECTION 16. AGREEMENT OF RIGHTS HOLDERS. Every holder of a
Right by accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights
Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:
(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights
will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of Common Stock;
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(b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights
Certificates are transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if
surrendered at the principal office or offices of the Rights Agent designated
for such purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of
transfer and with the appropriate forms and certificates fully executed;
(c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f)
hereof, the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose
name a Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated
Common Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the
Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing
on the Rights Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate made by
anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever,
and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last sentence of
Section 7(e) hereof, shall be required to be affected by any notice to the
contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement
to the contrary, neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any
liability to any holder of a Right or other person as a result of its inability
to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any
preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a
court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or
administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or
executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental authority,
prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation; provided,
however, the Company must use its best efforts to have any such order, decree or
ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as possible.
SECTION 17. RIGHTS CERTIFICATE HOLDER NOT DEEMED A
STOCKHOLDER. No holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to
vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of
one one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the
Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights
represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Rights
Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, as
such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights,
or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate
shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.
SECTION 18. CONCERNING THE RIGHTS AGENT.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights
Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and,
from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and
counsel fees and disbursements and other disbursements incurred in the
administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance
of its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent
for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred
without negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights
Agent, for anything done or omitted by the
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Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration of this
Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending against any claim of
liability in the premises.
(b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and
shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or
omitted by it in connection with it administration of this Agreement in reliance
upon any Rights Certificate or certificate for Common Stock or for other
securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of
attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent,
certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine
and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by
the proper Person or Persons.
SECTION 19. MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OR CHANGE OF NAME OF
RIGHTS AGENT.
(a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent
or any successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be
consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to
which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any
corporation succeeding to the corporate trust or stock transfer business of the
Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights
Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any
further act on the part of any of the parties hereto; provided, however, that
such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent
under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor
Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the
Rights Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such
successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of a predecessor Rights
Agent and deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that
time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any
successor Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in the
name of the predecessor or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all
such cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the
Rights Certificates and in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Rights
Agent shall be changed and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall
have been countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature under its prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so
countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not
have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Rights
Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such
cases such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights
Certificates and in this Agreement.
SECTION 20. DUTIES OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent
undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the
following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of
Rights Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal
counsel (who may be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such
counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights
Agent as to any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance
with such opinion.
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(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties
under this Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that
any fact or matter (including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring
Person and the determination of "current market price") be proved or established
by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or
matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically
prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a
certificate signed by the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice
President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any
Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such
certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken
or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in
reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder
only for its own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or
by reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this
Agreement or in the Rights Certificates or be required to verify the same
(except as to its countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such
statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company
only.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any
responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and
delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in
respect of the validity or execution of any Rights Certificate (except its
countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the
Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any
Rights Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any adjustment required
under the provisions of Section 11 or Section 13 hereof or responsible for the
manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the
existence of facts that would require any such adjustment (except with respect
to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Rights Certificates after actual notice
of any such adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any
representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares
of Common Stock or Preferred Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or
any Rights Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common Stock or Preferred
Stock will, when so issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.
(f) The Company agrees that it will perform,
execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed,
acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and
assurances as may reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying
out or performing by the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and
directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties
hereunder from the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the
Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of
the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in
connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or
suffered to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any
such officer.
(h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder,
director, officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any
of the Rights or other securities of the
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Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Company
may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or otherwise
act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent under this Agreement.
Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity
for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise
any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder
either itself or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent
shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or
misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company
resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct; provided, however,
reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof.
(j) No provision of this Agreement shall require
the Rights Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any
financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the
exercise of its rights if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that
repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or
liability is not reasonably assured to it.
(k) If, with respect to any Right Certificate
surrendered to the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate
attached to the form of assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case
may be, has either not been completed or indicates an affirmative response to
clause 1 and/or 2 thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action
with respect to such requested exercise of transfer without first consulting
with the Company.
SECTION 21. CHANGE OF RIGHTS AGENT. The Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this
Agreement upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company, and to
each transfer agent of the Common Stock and Preferred Stock, by registered or
certified mail, and to the holders of the Rights Certificates by first-class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon
thirty (30) days' notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock
and Preferred Stock, by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the
Rights Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be
removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint
a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such
appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after giving notice of such
removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or
incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a
Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Rights Certificate
for inspection by the Company), then any registered holder of any Rights
Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment
of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the
Company or by such a court, shall be a corporation organized and doing business
under the laws of the United States or of the State of Delaware (or of any other
state of the United States so long as such corporation is authorized to do
business as a banking institution in the State of Delaware), in good standing,
having a principal office in the State of Delaware, which is authorized under
such laws to exercise corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to
supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which either has or
is an affiliate of a corporation which has at the time of its appointment as
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Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $100,000,000. After
appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers,
rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights
Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall
deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held
by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act
or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such
appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the
predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Stock and the
Preferred Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders
of the Rights Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in this
Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or
validity of the registration or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment
of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.
SECTION 22. ISSUANCE OF NEW RIGHTS CERTIFICATES.
Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the
contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates
evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to
reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or
class of shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Rights
Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In
addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock
following the Distribution Date and prior to the redemption or expiration of the
Rights, the Company (a) shall, with respect to shares of Common Stock so issued
or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or
arrangement, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities
hereinafter issued by the Company, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed
necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors, of the Company, issue Rights
Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with
such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such Rights Certificate
shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by
counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of material adverse
tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such Rights Certificate
would be issued, and (ii) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to
the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu
of the issuance thereof.
SECTION 23. EXCHANGE.
(a) The Company's Board of Directors and a
majority of the Continuing Directors may, at their option, at any time after any
Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of the then outstanding
and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have become void
pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for shares of Common
Stock at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right, appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction
occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred
to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of
Directors and a majority of the Continuing Directors shall not be empowered to
effect such exchange at any time after any person (other than the Company, any
Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such
subsidiary or any entity holding shares of Common Stock for or pursuant to any
such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes
the Beneficial Owner of
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Shares of Common Stock aggregating 50% or more of the shares of Common Stock
then outstanding.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Company's
Board of Directors and a majority of the Continuing Directors ordering the
exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 23 and without
any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such Rights
shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights shall
be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of such
Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company shall
promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided, however, that the
failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of
such exchange. The Company shall mail promptly a notice of any such exchange to
all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon
the registry books of the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner
herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the
notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange
of the shares of Common Stock for Rights will be effected and, in the event of
any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial
exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than
Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof)
held by each holder of Rights.
(c) In the event that there shall not be
sufficient shares of Common Stock issued but not outstanding or authorized but
unissued to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with
this Section 23, the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to
authorize additional shares of Common Stock for issuance upon exchange of the
Rights. In the event the Company shall, after good faith effort, be unable to
take all such action as may be necessary to authorize such additional shares of
Common Stock, the Company shall substitute for each share of Common Stock that
would otherwise be issuable upon exchange or a Right, a number of shares of
Preferred Stock or fraction thereof such that the current per share market price
of one share of Preferred Stock multiplied by such number or fraction is equal
to the current per share market price of one share of Common Stock as of the
date of issuance of such share of Preferred Stock or fraction thereof.
(d) The Company shall not be required to issue
fractions of shares of Common Stock or to distribute certificates which evidence
fractional shares of Common Stock. In lieu of such fractional shares of Common
Stock, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Right Certificates
with regard to which such fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be
issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole share of Common Stock. For the purposes of this paragraph (d),
the current market value of a whole share of Common Stock shall be the closing
price of a share of Common Stock (as determined pursuant to the second sentence
of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
exchange pursuant to this Section 23.
SECTION 24. REDEMPTION AND TERMINATION.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company and a
majority of the Continuing Directors may, at their option, at any time prior to
the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth business day following the
Stock Acquisition Date or (ii) the Final
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Expiration Date, redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at
a redemption price of $.01 per Right, as such amount may be appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction
occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter
referred to as the "Redemption Price"); provided, however, that if, following
the occurrence of a Stock Acquisition Date and following the expiration of the
right of redemption hereunder but prior to any Triggering Event, (i) a Person
who is an Acquiring Person shall have transferred or otherwise disposed of a
number of shares of Common Stock in one transaction or series of transactions,
not directly or indirectly involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
which did not result in the occurrence of a Triggering Event such that such
Person is thereafter a Beneficial Owner of 10% or less of the outstanding shares
of Common Stock, and (ii) there are no other Persons, immediately following the
occurrence of the event described in clause (i), who are Acquiring Persons, then
the right of redemption shall be reinstated and thereafter be subject to the
provisions of this Section 24. Notwithstanding anything contained in this
Agreement to the contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable after the first
occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event until such time as the Company's right
of redemption hereunder has expired. The Company may, at its option, pay the
Redemption Price in cash, shares of Common Stock (based on the "current market
price," as defined in Section 11(d)(i) hereof, of the Common Stock at the time
of redemption) or any other form of consideration deemed appropriate by the
Board of Directors and a majority of the Continuing Directors.
(b) Immediately upon the action of the Company's
Board of Directors and Continuing Directors ordering the redemption of the
Rights, evidence of which shall have been filed with the Rights Agent and
without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the
Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights
shall be to receive the Redemption Price for each Right so held. Promptly after
the action of the Board of Directors and Continuing Directors ordering the
redemption of the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption to
the Rights Agent and the holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such
notice to all such holders at each holder's last address as it appears upon the
registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the
registry books of the Transfer Agent for the Common Stock. Any notice which is
mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the
holder receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the method
by which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.
SECTION 25. NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS.
(a) In case the Company shall propose, at any
time after the Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of
any class to the holders of Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to
the holders of Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out
of earnings or retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the
holders of Preferred Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase
any additional shares of Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any
other securities, rights or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of
its Preferred Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the
subdivision of outstanding shares of Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect any
consolidation or merger into or with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary
of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to
effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries
to effect any sale of other transfer), in one transaction or a series of related
transactions, of more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and
its
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Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the
Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Company, then, in each such case, the Company
shall give to each holder of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in
accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall
specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of
rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation,
merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place
and the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the
case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least twenty (20) days
prior to the record date for determining holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at
least twenty (20) days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action
or the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock whichever shall be the earlier.
(b) In case any of the events set forth in
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall occur, then, in any such case, (i) the Company
shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Rights
Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall specify the event and the
consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof,
and (ii) all references in the preceding paragraph to Preferred Stock shall be
deemed thereafter to refer to Common Stock and/or, if appropriate, other
securities.
SECTION 26. NOTICES. Notices or demands authorized by
this Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any
Rights Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if
sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is
filed in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:
Advanced Polymer Systems, Inc.
3696 Haven Avenue
Redwood City, California 94063
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if
sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is
filed in writing with the Company) as follows:
The First National Bank of Boston
c/o Boston Equiserve
Blue Hills Office Park
Mail Stop 45-02-62
Canton, Massachusetts 02021
Attention: Ms. Colleen Shea
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Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of
such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.
SECTION 27. SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS. Prior to the
Distribution Date and subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 27,
the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or
amend any provision of this Agreement without the approval of any holders of
certificates representing shares of Common Stock. From and after the
Distribution Date and subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 27,
the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, supplement or
amend its Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights Certificates
in order (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision
contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other
provisions herein, (iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder, (iv)
to change or supplement the provisions hereunder in any manner which the Company
may deem necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely affect the
interests of the holders of Rights Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person
or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person), or (v) lower the
thresholds set forth in Section 1(a) to 10%; provided, this Agreement may not be
supplemented or amended to lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of this sentence,
(A) at a time period relating to when the Rights may be redeemed at such time as
the Rights are not then redeemable, or (B) any other time period unless such
lengthening is for the purpose of protecting, enhancing or clarifying the rights
of, and/or the benefits to, the holders of Rights. Upon the delivery of a
certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company which states that the
proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this
Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment.
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, no
supplement or amendment shall be made which changes the Redemption Price, the
Final Expiration Date, the Purchase Price or the number of one one-hundredths of
a share of Preferred Stock for which a Right is exercisable; provided, however,
that at any time prior to (i) the existence of an Acquiring Person or (ii) the
date that a tender or exchange offer by any Person (other than the Company, any
Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person or entity organized, appointed or
established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) is
first published or sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the
General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, if upon consummation
thereof, such Person would be an Acquiring Person, the Board of Directors of the
Company, together with a majority of the Continuing Directors, may amend this
Agreement to increase the Purchase Price or extend the Final Expiration Date.
Prior to the Distribution Date, the interests of the holders of Rights shall be
deemed coincident with the interests of the holders of Common Stock.
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SECTION 28. SUCCESSORS. All the covenants and provisions of
this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall
bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns
hereunder.
SECTION 29. DETERMINATION AND ACTIONS BY THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS, ETC. For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including
for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares
of Common Stock of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in
accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules
and Regulations under the Exchange Act. The Board of Directors of the Company
(with, where specifically provided for herein, the concurrence of the Continuing
Directors) shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this
Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to the
Board (with, where specifically provided for herein, the concurrence of the
Continuing Directors) or to the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in
the administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right
and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement, and (ii) make all
determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this
Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to
amend the Agreement). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and
determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with
respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board (with, where
specifically provided for herein, the concurrence of the Continuing Directors)
in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the
Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all other parties, and (y) not
subject the Board or the Continuing Directors to any liability to the holders of
the Rights.
SECTION 30. BENEFITS OF THIS AGREEMENT. Nothing in this
Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the
Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior
to the Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall
be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of the Common Stock).
SECTION 31. SEVERABILITY. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated;
provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such
court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in its good faith judgment that severing the
invalid language from this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or
effect of this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 24 hereof
shall be reinstated and shall not expire until the close of business on the
tenth day following the date of such determination by the Board of Directors.
Without limiting the foregoing, if any provision requiring a majority of the
Board of Directors of the Company to be Continuing Directors to act is held by
any court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or
unenforceable, such determination shall then be made by the Board of Directors
of the Company in accordance with applicable law and the Company's Certificate
of Incorporation and By-Laws.
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SECTION 32. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement, each Right and each
Rights Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under
the laws of the State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts made
and to be performed entirely within such State.
SECTION 33. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in
any number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes
be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute
but one and the same instrument.
SECTION 34. DESCRIPTIVE HEADINGS. Descriptive headings of the
several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall
not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions
hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
Agreement to be duly executed and their respective corporate seals to be
hereunto affixed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
ADVANCED POLYMER SYSTEMS, INC.
By /s/ Michael P.J. O'Connell
-------------------------------
Name: Michael P.J. O'Connell
Title: Chief Financial Officer
THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF
BOSTON
By /s/ Colleen Shea Keating
-------------------------------
Name: Colleen Shea Keating
Title:
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Exhibit A
FORM OF
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION, PREFERENCES AND RIGHTS OF
SERIES A PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
OF
ADVANCED POLYMER SYSTEMS, INC.
Pursuant to Section 151 of the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
Advanced Polymer Systems, Inc., a corporation (the "Corporation")
organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware (the "DGCL"), in accordance with the provisions of Section 103 thereof,
HEREBY CERTIFIES:
That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors by
the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, the Board of Directors on
August 19, 1996, adopted the following resolution creating a series of _____
[number] shares of Preferred Stock designated as Series A Preferred Stock:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of
Directors of the Corporation in accordance with the provisions of its
Certificate of Incorporation and Section 151 of the DGCL, a series of Preferred
Stock of the Corporation be and it hereby is created, and that the designation
and amount thereof and the voting powers, preferences and relative,
participating, optional and other special rights of the shares of such series,
and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof are as follows:
1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series
shall be designated as "Series A Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.01
per share" (the "Series A Preferred Stock"), and the number of shares
constituting such series shall be _________.
2. Dividends and Distributions.
(a) Subject to the prior and superior rights of
the holders of any shares of any series of Preferred Stock ranking prior and
superior to the shares of Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividends,
the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock in preference to the holders
of Common Stock and of any other junior stock, shall be entitled to receive,
when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally
available therefor, dividends payable quarterly on the first day of January,
April, July and October (each such date being referred to herein as a "Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date
after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred
Stock,
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in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a)
$100 or (b) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100
times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends
or other distributions other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock
or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification
or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to the first Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a
share of Series A Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any
time after the record date for the initial distribution of the Corporation's
Preferred "Stock Purchase Rights" pursuant to the Rights Agreement, dated as of
August 19, 1996, between the Corporation and The First National Bank of Boston
of Massachusetts, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Declaration Date"), (i) declare
any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide
the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into
a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the amount to which holders
of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such
event under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by
multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(b) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or
distribution on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (a) above
immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock
(other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that, in the
event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock
during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next
subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $40 per share on the
Series A Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such subsequent
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
(c) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be
cumulative on outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares of Series
A Preferred Stock, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the
record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case
dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such
shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in
which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue
of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date
or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before
such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends
shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on
the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount
of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be
allocated pro rate on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time
outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination
of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of
a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be no more
than 30 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.
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3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(a) Subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth, each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the
holder thereof to 100 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the
stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time
after the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock
payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock
or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares,
then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares
of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall
be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction, the numerator of which is
the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event
and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
(b) Except as otherwise provided herein, in the
Certificate of Incorporation or under applicable law, the holders of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock shall vote
together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the
Corporation.
(c) (i) If at any time dividends on any shares
of Series A Preferred Stock shall be in arrears in an amount equal to six
quarterly dividends thereon, the occurrence of such contingency shall mark the
beginning of a period (a "default period") that shall extend until such time
when all accrued and unpaid dividends for all previous quarterly dividends
periods and for the current quarterly dividend period on all shares of Series A
Preferred Stock then outstanding shall have been declared and paid or set apart
for payment. During each default period, all holders of the outstanding shares
of Series A Preferred Stock together with any other series of Preferred Stock
then entitled to such a vote under the terms of the Certificate of
Incorporation, voting as a separate class, shall be entitled to elect two
members of the Board of Directors of the Corporation.
(ii) During any default period, such
voting right of the holders of Preferred Stock may be exercised initially at a
special meeting called pursuant to subparagraph (iii) of this Subsection 3(c) or
at any annual meeting of stockholders, and thereafter at annual meetings of
stockholders. The absence of a quorum of the holders of Common Stock shall not
affect the exercise by the holders of Preferred Stock of such voting right. At
any meeting at which the holders of Preferred Stock shall exercise such voting
right initially during an existing default period, they shall have the right,
voting as a separate class, to elect Directors to fill such vacancies, if any,
in the Board of Directors as may then exist up to two Directors, or if such
right is exercised at an annual meeting, to elect two Directors. If the number
that may be so elected at any special meeting does not amount to the required
number, the holders of the Preferred Stock shall have the right to make such
increase in the number of Directors as shall be necessary to permit the election
by them of the required number. After the holders of the Preferred Stock shall
have exercised their right to elect Directors in any default period and during
the continuance of such period, the number of Directors shall not be increased
or decreased except by vote of the holders of Preferred Stock as herein provided
or pursuant to the rights of any equity securities ranking senior to or pari
passu with the Series A Preferred Stock.
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(iii) Unless the holders of Preferred
Stock shall, during an existing default period, have previously exercised their
right to elect Directors, the Board of Directors may order, or any stockholder
or stockholders owning in the aggregate not less than ten percent (10%) of the
total number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding, irrespective of series,
may request, the calling of a special meeting of the holders of Preferred Stock,
which meeting shall thereupon be called by the Chairman, President, a Vice
President or the Secretary of the Corporation. Notice of such meeting and of any
annual meeting at which holders of Preferred Stock are entitled to vote pursuant
to this Section 3(c)(iii) shall be given to each holder of record of Preferred
Stock by mailing a copy of such notice to him at his last address as the same
appears on the books of the Corporation. Such meeting shall be called for a time
not earlier than 10 days and not later than 60 days after such order or request.
In the event such meeting is not called within 60 days after such order or
request, such meeting may be called on a similar notice by any stockholder or
stockholders owning in the aggregate not less than ten percent (10%) of the
total number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding. Notwithstanding the
provisions of this Section 3(c)(iii), no such special meeting shall be called
during the period within 60 days immediately preceding the date fixed for the
next annual meeting of the stockholders.
(iv) In any default period, the holders
of Common Stock, and other classes of stock of the Corporation if applicable,
shall continue to be entitled to elect the whole number of Directors until the
holders of Preferred Stock shall have exercised their right to elect two
Directors voting as a separate class, after the exercise of which right (x) the
Directors so elected by the holders of Preferred Stock shall continue in office
until their successors shall have been elected by such holders or until the
expiration of the default period, and (y) any vacancy in the Board of Directors
may (except as provided in Section 3(c)(ii) be filled by vote of a majority of
the remaining Directors elected by the class which elected the Director whose
office shall have become vacant. References in this Section 3(c)(iv) to
Directors elected by a particular class shall include Directors elected by such
Directors to fill vacancies as provided in clause (y) of the foregoing sentence.
(d) Immediately upon the expiration of a default
period, (x) the right of the holders of Preferred Stock, as a separate class, to
elect Directors shall cease, (y) the term of any Directors elected by the
holders of Preferred Stock, as a separate class, shall terminate, and (2) the
number of Directors shall be such number as may be provided for in, or pursuant
to, the Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws irrespective of any increase
made pursuant to the provisions of Section 3(c)(ii) (such number being subject,
however, to change thereafter in any manner provided by law or in the
Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws). Any vacancies in the Board of
Directors effected by the provisions of clauses (y) and (z) in the preceding
sentence may be filled by a majority of the remaining Directors, even though
less than a quorum.
(e) Except as set forth herein or as otherwise
provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, holders of Series A Preferred
Stock shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not be
required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common
Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.
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4. Certain Restrictions.
(a) Whenever quarterly dividends or other
dividends or distributions payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided
in Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid
dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A
Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall
not:
(i) declare or pay or set apart for
payment any dividends or make any other distributions on, or redeem or purchase
or otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly, for consideration any shares of
any class of stock of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or
upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock;
(ii) declare or pay dividends on or make
any other distributions on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A
Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock
and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in
proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then
entitled;
(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise
acquire for consideration shares of any stock ranking on a parity (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A
Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase
or otherwise acquire shares of any such parity stock in exchange for shares of
any stock of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock; or
(iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration any shares of Series A Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock
ranking on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock, except in accordance with
a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board
of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of
Directors, after consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other
relative rights and preferences of the respective series and classes, shall
determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the
respective series or classes.
(b) The Corporation shall not permit any
subsidiary of the Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
any shares of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under
paragraph (a) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at
such time and in such manner.
5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Preferred
Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner
whatsoever shall be retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof.
All such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued
shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of
Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of
Directors, subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth
herein.
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6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.
(a) Upon any voluntary or involuntary
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall
be made to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends
or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock
unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall
have received $100.00 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid
dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of
such payment (the "Series A Liquidation Preference"). Following the payment of
the full amount of the Series A Liquidation Preference, no additional
distributions shall be made to the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock
unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall have received
an amount per share (the "Common Adjustment") equal to the quotient obtained by
dividing (i) the Series A Liquidation Preference by (ii) 100 (as appropriately
adjusted as set forth in paragraph (c) below to reflect such events as stock
splits, stock dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock)
(such number in clause (ii) being hereinafter referred to as the "Adjustment
Number"). Following the payment of the full amount of the Series A Liquidation
Preference and the Common Adjustment in respect of all outstanding shares of
Series A Preferred Stock and Common Stock, respectively, holders of Series A
Preferred Stock and holders of shares of Common Stock shall receive their
ratable and proportionate share of the remaining assets to be distributed in the
ratio of the Adjustment Number to 1 with respect to such Series A Preferred
Stock and Common Stock, on a per share basis, respectively.
(b) In the event, however, that there are not
sufficient assets available to permit payment in full of the Series A
Liquidation Preference and the liquidation preferences of all other series of
Preferred Stock, if any, which rank on a parity with the Series A Preferred
Stock, then such remaining assets shall be distributed ratably to the holders of
all such shares in proportion to their respective liquidation preferences. In
the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets available to permit
payment in full of the Common Adjustment, then such remaining assets shall be
distributed ratably to the holders of Common Stock.
(c) In the event the Corporation shall at any
time after the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock
payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock,
or (iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares,
then in each such case the Adjustment Number in effect immediately prior to such
event shall be adjusted by multiplying such Adjustment Number by a fraction, the
numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.
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7. Consolidation, Merger, Share Exchange, etc. In case
the Corporation shall enter into any consolidation, merger, share exchange,
combination or other transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are
exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other
property, then in any such case the shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall at
the same time be similarly exchanged or changed in an amount per share (subject
to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to 100 times the
aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable
in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock
is changed or exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after
the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock, or (iii)
combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in
each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to
the exchange or change of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted
by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number
of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.
8. No Redemption. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock
shall not be redeemable.
9. Ranking. The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank
junior to all other series of the Corporation's Preferred Stock as to the
payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, unless the terms of any
such series shall provide otherwise.
10. Amendment. The Certificate of Incorporation of the
Corporation shall not be amended in any manner which would materially alter or
change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A Preferred Stock
so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of
two-thirds or more of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting
together as a single voting group.
11. Fractional Shares. Series A Preferred Stock may be
issued in fractions of a share which shall entitle the holder, in proportion to
such holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends,
participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of
holders of Series A Preferred Stock.
IT WITNESS WHEREOF, Advance Polymer Systems, Inc. has caused
this Certificate to be signed by __________, its ________, this ___ day of
________, 1996.
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ADVANCED POLYMER SYSTEMS, INC.
By: ________________________
Name:
Title:
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Exhibit B
[Form of Rights Certificate]
Certificate No. R- __________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER _______________ or EARLIER IF REDEEMED BY THE
COMPANY. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE
COMPANY, AT $.01 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN
ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND
ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. [THE
RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE
OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE
RIGHTS AGREEMENT). ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS
REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES
SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH AGREEMENT.]1
Rights Certificate
ADVANCED POLYMER SYSTEMS, INC.
This certifies that _________________, or his registered
assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each
of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, dated as of August 19, 1996 (the "Rights
Agreement") between Advanced Polymer Systems, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), and The First National Bank of Boston (the "Rights Agent"), to
purchase from the Company at any time prior to 5:00 P.M. (California time) on
August 19, 2006 at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose, or its successors as Rights Agent, one one-hundredth of a fully paid,
nonassessable share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock (the "Preferred
Stock") of the Company, at a purchase price of $40 per one one-hundredth of a
share (the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights
Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate duly
executed. The Purchase Price shall be paid, at the election of the holder, in
cash or shares of Common Stock of the Company having an equivalent value. The
number of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of shares
which may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase
Price per
- ---------------------
1 The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if
applicable and shall replace the preceding sentence.
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share set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of _______________,
based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at such date.
Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term
is defined in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights
Agreement), (ii) a transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Associate or
Affiliate, or (iii) under certain circumstances specified in the Rights
Agreement, a transferee of a person who, after such transfer, became an
Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, such
Rights shall become null and void and no holder hereof shall have any right with
respect to such Rights from and after the occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii)
Event.
As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and
the number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities, which may
be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of
certain events, including Triggering Events.
This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms,
provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and
conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof
and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of
the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder
of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates,
which limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the
exercisability of such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the
Rights Agreement. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the
above-mentioned office of the Rights Agent and are also available upon written
request to the Rights Agent.
This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights
Certificates, upon surrender at the principal office or offices of the Rights
Agent designated for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights
Certificate or Rights Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights
entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of one one-hundredths
of a share of Preferred Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate
or Rights Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase.
If this Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be
entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at its option at a
redemption price of $.01 per Right at any time prior to the earlier of the close
of business on (i) the tenth business day following the Stock Acquisition Date
(as such time period may be extended pursuant to the Rights Agreement), and (ii)
the Final Expiration Date. After the expiration of the redemption period, the
Company's right of redemption may be reinstated if an Acquiring Person reduces
his beneficial ownership to 10% or less of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock in a transaction or series of transactions not involving the Company.
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Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate may be exchanged in whole or in part for shares of
the Company's Common Stock (or shares of Preferred Stock of the Company equal in
market value to one share of Common Stock) at an exchange ratio of one share of
Common Stock per Right, subject to adjustment.
The Company is not required to issue fractional shares of
Preferred Stock upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other
than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred Stock, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by
depository receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash payment may be made, as
provided in the Rights Agreement.
No holder of this Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote
or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of shares of
Preferred Stock or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time
be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights
Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any
of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the
election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or, to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.
This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for
any purpose until it shall have been counter-signed by the Rights Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Company and its corporate seal.
Dated as of the ___ day of _________, 19__.
ADVANCED POLYMER SYSTEMS, INC.
By: _______________________________
Name:
Title:
Countersigned:
THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF
BOSTON
By: _______________________________
Authorized Signature
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[Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder
desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED_____________________________________________________________
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto_______________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
_______________________________________________________________________________
this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _______________ Attorney, to
transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the within-named Company,
with full power of substitution.
Date: ___________________
_______________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a bank, broker, dealer, credit union
or savings association or other entity that is a member in good
standing of a signature guarantee medallion program approved by the
Securities Transfer Association, Inc.
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Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate
boxes that:
(1) this Rights Certificate
[ ] is
[ ] is not
being sold, assigned and transferred by or on behalf
of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person
(as such terms are defined pursuant to the Rights
Agreement); and
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the
undersigned, it [ ] did [ ][ did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Date:___________________, _______
_______________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a bank, broker, dealer, credit union
or savings association or other entity that is a member in good
standing of a signature guarantee medallion program approved by the
Securities Transfer Association, Inc.
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
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FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(a) (To be executed if holder desire to exercise Rights
represented by the Rights Certificate.)
To: ADVANCED POLYMER SYSTEMS, INC.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise
__________ Rights represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares
of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other
securities of the Company or of any other person which may be issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued
in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security or other identifying number: ____________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
_______________________________________________________________________________
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced
by this Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such
Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:
Please insert social security or other identifying number: ____________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address)
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
Dated: ___________________, 19___.
_______________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a bank, broker, dealer, credit union
or savings association or other entity that is a member in good
standing of a signature guarantee medallion program approved by the
Securities Transfer Association, Inc.
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Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate
boxes that:
(1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate
[ ] are
[ ] are not
being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or
was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate
of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement); and
(2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the
undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate from any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person.
Dated: _____________________.
_______________________
Signature
Signature Guaranteed:
Signatures must be guaranteed by a bank, broker, dealer, credit union
or savings association or other entity that is a member in good
standing of a signature guarantee medallion program approved by the
Securities Transfer Association, Inc.
NOTICE
The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and
Certificate must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights
Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change
whatsoever.
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Exhibit C
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
PREFERRED STOCK
On August 19, 1996, the Board of Directors of Advanced Polymer
Systems, Inc. (the "Company") declared a dividend distribution of one Right for
each outstanding share of Company Common Stock to stockholders of record at the
close of business on September 3, 1996. Each Right entitles the registered
holder to purchase from the Company one one-hundredth of a share of Series A
Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), at a Purchase
Price of $40 per one one-hundredth of a share, subject to adjustment. The
description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the
"Rights Agreement") between the Company and The First National Bank of Boston as
Rights Agent.
Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock
certificates representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights
Certificates will be distributed. The Rights will separate from the Common Stock
and a Distribution Date will occur upon the earlier of (i) 10 business days
following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or
associated persons (an "Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right
to acquire, beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock (the "Stock Acquisition Date"), except under certain limited
circumstances, or (ii) 10 business days (or such later date as the Board of
Directors and a majority of the Continuing Directors (as defined below) shall
determine) following the commencement of a tender or exchange offer that would
result in a person or group beneficially owning 20% or more of such outstanding
shares of Common Stock. Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be
evidenced by the Common Stock certificates and will be transferred with and only
with such Common Stock certificates, (ii) new Common Stock certificates issued
after September 3, 1996 will contain a notation incorporating the Rights
Agreement by reference, and (iii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates
for Common Stock outstanding will also constitute the transfer of the Rights
associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates. Pursuant to
the Rights Agreement, the Company reserves the right to require prior to the
occurrence of a Triggering Event (as defined below) that, upon any exercise of
Rights, a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred
Stock will be issued.
The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and
will expire at the close of business on August 19, 2006 unless earlier redeemed
by the Company as described below.
As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights
Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the
close of business on the Distribution Date, and thereafter, the separate Rights
Certificates alone will represent the Rights. Except as otherwise determined by
the Board of Directors, only shares of Common Stock issued prior to the
Distribution Date will be issued with Rights.
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In the event that (i) the Company is the surviving corporation
in a merger or other business combination with an Acquiring Person (or any
associate or affiliate thereof) and its Common Stock remains outstanding and
unchanged, (ii) any Acquiring Person shall acquire beneficial ownership of more
than 20% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (except pursuant to (A)
certain consolidations or mergers involving the Company or sales or transfers of
the combined assets or earning power the Company and its subsidiaries or (B) an
offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price and upon terms and
conditions which a majority of the Continuing Directors determines to be in the
best interests of the Company and its stockholders) or (iii) there occurs a
reclassification of securities, a recapitalization of the Company or any of
certain business combinations or other transactions (other than certain
consolidations and mergers involving the Company and sales or transfers of the
combined assets or earning power of the Company and its subsidiaries) involving
the Company or any of its subsidiaries which has the effect of increasing by
more than 1% the proportionate share of any class of the outstanding equity
securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries beneficially owned by an
Acquiring Person (or any associate or affiliate thereof), each holder of a Right
(other than the Acquiring Person and certain related parties) will thereafter
have the right to received, upon exercise, Common Stock (or, in certain
circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company) having a value
equal to two times the exercise price of the Right. However, Rights are not
exercisable following the occurrence of any of the events described above until
such time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by the Company as described
below. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing following the occurrence of any of
the events described in this paragraph, all Rights that are, or under certain
circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any
Acquiring Person will be null and void.
For example, at any exercise price of $40 per Right, each
Right not owned by an Acquiring Person (or by certain related parties or
transferees) following an event set forth in the preceding paragraph would
entitle its holder to purchase $80 worth of Common Stock (or other
consideration, as noted above) for $40. Assuming that the Common Stock had a per
share market price of $10 at such time, the holder of each valid Right would be
entitled to purchase 80 shares of Common Stock for $40.
In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition
Date, (i) the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction in which the Company is not the surviving corporation, (ii) the
Company is the surviving corporation in a consolidation or merger pursuant to
which all or part of the outstanding shares of Common Stock are changed into or
exchanged for stock or other securities of any other person or cash or any other
property or (iii) more than 50% of the combined assets of earning power of the
Company and its subsidiaries is sold or transferred (in each case other than
certain consolidations with, mergers with and into, or sales of assets or
earning power by or to subsidiaries of the Company as specified in the Rights
Agreement), each holder of a Right (except Rights which previously have been
voided as set forth above) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon
exercise, common stock of the acquiring company having a value equal to two
times the exercise price of the Rights. The events described in this paragraph
and in the second preceding paragraph are referred to as the "Triggering
Events."
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The Purchase Price payable, the number and kind of shares
covered by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to
adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred
Stock, (ii) if holders of the Preferred Stock are granted certain rights or
warrants to subscribe for Preferred Stick or securities convertible into
Preferred Stock at less than he current market price of the Preferred Stock, or
(iii) upon the distribution to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidences of
indebtedness, cash (excluding regular quarterly cash dividends), assets (other
than dividends payable in Preferred Stock) or of subscription rights or warrants
(other than those referred to in (ii) immediately above).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price
will be required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the
Purchase Price. No fractional shares of Preferred Stock are required to be
issued (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth
of a share of Preferred Stock) and, in lieu thereof, the Company may make an
adjustment in cash based on the market price of the Preferred Stock on the
trading data immediately prior to the date of exercise.
At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring
Person and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of
the outstanding shares of Common Stock, the Board of Directors of the Company
may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group, which
will become void), in whole or in part, for shares of Common Stock at an
exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock (or in certain circumstances
Preferred Stock) per Right (subject to adjustment).
At any time until ten business days following the Stock
Acquisition Date, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part,
at a price of $.01 per Right (payable in cash, shares of Common Stock or other
consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors). Immediately upon
the action of the Board of Directors ordering redemption of the Rights, the
Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to
receive the $.01 redemption price.
The term "Continuing Director" means any member of the Board
of Directors of the Company who was a member of the Board prior to the date of
the Rights Agreement, and any person who is subsequently elected to the Board if
such person is recommended or approved by a majority of the Continuing
Directors, but shall not include an Acquiring Person, or an affiliate or
associate of an Acquiring Person, or any representative of the foregoing
entities.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will
have no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation,
the right to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights
will not be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may,
depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the
Rights become exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of the
Company or for common stock of the acquiring company as set forth above or in
the event that the Rights are redeemed.
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Other than those provisions relating to the principal economic
terms of the Rights, any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be
amended by the Board of Directors, together with a majority of the Continuing
Directors, prior to the Distribution Date. After the Distribution Date, the
provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board in order to cure
any ambiguity, to make changes which do not adversely affect the interests of
holders of Rights (excluding the interest of any Acquiring Person) or to shorten
or lengthen any time period under the Rights Agreement; provided, however, that
no amendment to adjust the time period governing redemption shall be made at
such time as the Rights are not redeemable.
A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on
Form 8-A dated September 6, 1996 and as an Exhibit to a Report on Form 8-K dated
September 6, 1996. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge
from the Rights Agent. This summary description of the Rights does not purport
to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights
Agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference.
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